Some Of The Most Popular Pets Being Adopted During The Pandemic
Dogs and cats have always dominated in terms of popular pets for the whole family, and while the Covid-19 pandemic has given numerous households the opportunity to commit to raising a puppy or kitten full time, many are opting for some more unique additions to their family while enduring the rest of the pandemic.
According to Pets4Homes, an online resource used by many Americans for finding or putting up adoption listings for any and all pets, nearly 20,000 parrots were rehomed in 2020; a 79% increase when compared to 2019. The company claims this is likely because many individuals got tired of the silence in their homes and wanted an animal that could talk back to them.
That’s not all either, according to Pets4Homes stats on the past year a wide variety of extremely unique pets have risen in popularity amid the numerous lockdowns the US has endured within the past ten months. Chickens, salamanders, ferrets, quails, tarantulas, and stick insects are among some of the coolest species on the list.
Lily Wakefield is an average citizen who recently spoke with the media about this unique pet phenomenon and discussed why her and her housemates became obsessed with the idea of owning and raising baby quails after watching numerous TikTok videos about it. TikTok and social media in general has been a major player in getting all of these diverse species onto people’s feeds and thus getting them interested in what it would be like to be an owner of that species.
“The quails are very funny and have individual personalities. They’re also a great conversation starter as nobody is doing anything in lockdown, and we get so many eggs to give to our neighbors.”
Daniella Dos Santos is the senior vice president of the British Veterinary Association who also spoke with the press about how while it’s awesome to see so many animals finding loving homes, many of these owners don’t actually take the time to learn about all the specific care that goes into taking care of these species.
She also went on to discuss how in a year from now when the world is likely back to normal, many of these owners may begin to neglect their pets once they’re able to go out into the real world again. Remember, for these pets, you’re their whole life, and your home is also the only space they will occupy for their entire life. We all now know what it’s like to be stuck in our homes indefinitely, so make sure you’re giving your pet the best care and most loving and entertaining life possible, and make sure you do the research!
Many of these animals have indeed found those loving spaces and owners that actually need their new friends as much as they need them. Romy Miller is a barista who said she found comfort in adopting her axolotl Pluto. Axolotl’s are nicknamed “little water dragons,” to give you an idea of what they look like.
Miller explained how lockdown gave us all the opportunity to appreciate those we love the most, and that includes our animals. People are finally able to really commit to their pets like they should’ve been all along, and give them the same level of love and emotional companionship that all pets give to their owners.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.